According to the November 2009 issue of the journal “Circulation,” 81,100,000 adults in the United States suffer from one or more forms of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke and heart failure. The social and economic costs of these conditions have led medical researchers to seek additional preventative and efficacious treatments. Research on one particular herbal remedy, hawthorne, has revealed several potentially positive indications; however, it is not recommended that anyone replace current medical treatment with this herb.
Identification
Crataegus spp., commonly named hawthorn, is a member of the Roseaceae family and is native to sunny, woodland regions of Europe and Western Asia. The shrub is harvested for medicinal purposes when its white flowers bloom in the spring through summer. Crude plant material from leaves, flowers and fruit contains antioxidants called flavonoids used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals such as anti-hypertensives and cardiotonic formulas that strengthen the heart’s contractions, according to a 2003 article in "Medicina."
Traditional Uses
Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners utilize the berries, leaves and flowers of Crataegus to treat chronic heart failure, high blood pressure, arrhythmia and various digestive ailments. Studies from the Institute for Medical Plant Research in Serbia support these indications and also found moderate anti-bacterial activity present in certain extractions. Traditional writings, such as “Herbal Medicine” by Rudolf Wess, M.D., advocate combining individual constituents found in different parts of the plant to gain the highest level of therapeutic value. Always ask your doctor about starting a new supplement before taking it.
Western Botanical Medicine
Additionally, Western botanical medicine classifies hawthorne as a nervine reputed to protect and repair nerve tissue. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of phenolic compounds found in Crataegus have proven therapeutic in preventing neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, according to a Nov. 14, 2008, article in "Molecules." David Winston, registered herbalist, synergistically combines hawthorne with other herbs such as mimosa and rose petals to treat emotional symptoms of the heart such as sadness and grief. However, more studies need to be conducted before confirming any claims about hawthorn.
Current Research
Current research into the therapeutic properties of hawthorne sites two constituent classes of antioxidants, flavonoids and phenols. Investigation of extracts from Crataegus monogyna for total antioxidant levels concluded that alcohol extracts showed a 1.4 times stronger effect than aqueous extracts, according to a Nov. 14, 2008, article in "Molecules." This finding gives credence to taking hawthorne extract in the form of an alcohol tincture versus drinking the tea, in order to gain the greatest therapeutic value. However, reproducible studies are necessary before such claims can be deemed accurate.
Adverse Events
An adverse event profile was conducted to assess the safety data of all available human studies on hawthorn monopreparations in 2006. There were no reports of drug interactions and all data seemed to indicate that hawthorn is well tolerated. Complaints reported ranged from mild to severe, with the majority being mild to moderate symptoms of dizziness, gastrointestinal complaints, palpitation or headache, according to a 2006 review in "Drug Safety." More studies need to address such variables before hawthorne can be claimed to be safe.
References
- "Circulation": Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2010 Update
- "Medicina" (Kaunas); Research of the amounts of flavonoids accumulated in the crude drug of single-styled hawthorn; Jakstas V, Janulis V, Labokas J, Kazlauskas S, Benetis R, Puodziuniene G; 2003
- "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry"; Anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective, free-radical-scavenging, and antimicrobial activities of hawthorn berries ethanol extract; Tadic VM, Dobric S, Markovic GM, Dordevic SM, Arsic IA, Menkovic NR, Stevic T ; Sept. 10, 2008
- “Herbal Medicine”; Rudolf Fritz Weiss, MD; 1988
- "Molecules"; Use of liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection for the determination of antioxidants in less common fruits; Gazdik Z, Reznicek V, Adam V, Zitka O, Jurikova T, Krska B, Matuskovic J, Plsek J, Saloun J, Horna A, Kizek R; Nov. 14, 2008
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